You’re questioning if automotive insurance coverage covers flood harm to your car. And, like most questions associated to auto insurance, the reply is considerably difficult. It depends upon the kind of coverage you purchase.
At present, our group of licensed insurance coverage brokers is right here to clarify when flood harm and water harm are coated by an auto insurance coverage coverage.
Should you’re in a rush, know {that a} full protection auto coverage WILL virtually at all times cowl flood harm. And a liability-only coverage WILL NOT cowl flood harm.
In fact, there are extra particular factors and nuances to this query, so let’s dig into it somewhat deeper. Beneath, we’ll focus on factors like:
A Legal responsibility-Solely Coverage Will By no means Cowl Flood Harm
No liability-only coverage — the “naked minimal” policy required by your state — will cowl any sort of flood or water harm. Most of these auto insurance policies solely exist to guard you financially from harm you may trigger to different folks or their property.
Relying in your state, you may hear these insurance policies described as:
- Legal responsibility-only insurance policies
- PLPD insurance policies
- Minimal auto insurance coverage insurance policies
They assist to pay for harm you may trigger to different autos, buildings, fences, folks and animals. However they’ll NOT pay for:
- Rain or hail harm to parked automotive
- Falling bushes or tree limbs
- Regional flooding related to hurricanes or tropical storms
So, which sort of automotive insurance coverage do you want if you want for flood harm to be a covered peril? You want a full protection coverage, which incorporates complete insurance coverage.
What’s Complete Protection?
Complete protection protects your car from perils aside from collision.
As an illustration, complete protection will assist pay for damages brought on by:
- Hail
- Lightning strike
- Heavy rain
- Regional flooding
- Falling bushes
- Theft
- A storage that burns down
Collision protection is totally different. It pays for damages to your car brought on by any sort of collision — or crash — whether or not you collide with a construction, one other car, or one thing else.
Now, let’s discover just a few methods your auto insurance coverage may come into play when flooding or water harm are a problem.
Does Automobile Insurance coverage Cowl Harm Attributable to Regional Flooding?
A full protection coverage, one that features complete protection, will cowl harm brought on by regional flooding. Points like tropical storms, hurricane flooding, thunderstorms and lightning strikes are all coated.
Ought to I Purchase a Full Protection Auto Insurance coverage Coverage if I’m Involved About Flood Harm?
Should you dwell in a flood zone, or in case you’re frightened about flood harm to your car, you’ll in all probability sleep higher at evening with a full protection coverage.
As an illustration, in case you dwell in Jacksonville, FL you face an annual hurricane season. It’s sensible to keep up a full protection auto insurance coverage coverage, even in case you personal your car outright and don’t make a automotive fee. You’ll relaxation straightforward realizing your car is roofed in case of a flood or different harm brought on by hurricane winds, fallen tree limbs, flying particles or torrential rainfall.
Additionally, know that your lienholder might require you to keep up a full protection auto coverage when you’re making funds in your automotive. This protects the financial institution, credit score union or different monetary establishment from harm brought on by hurricanes, floods, theft and so forth. In fact, you’ll nonetheless be required to pay a deductible when making a declare.
Understanding Water Harm Automobile Insurance coverage Claims
We’ll use just a few tales right here for example water harm automotive insurance coverage claims. First, let’s think about a younger, married man named Darryl. He lives in Miami, FL and owns just a few autos.
Darryl and the Hurricane Flood Harm
Darryl’s every day driver is an older Honda Accord, valued at $3,000, which he owns outright. And he makes funds on a brand-new minivan for the household, he nonetheless owes about $20,000 on the van, however it’s price about $30,000.
Darryl has full protection insurance policies for each autos, with a deductible of $1,000 on every coverage.
An enormous hurricane strikes Miami. Darryl’s complete neighborhood is flooded with two ft of water. Each autos are soaked by. The inside of each autos is ruined, and all of the computer systems and fantastic expertise within the new minivan is trashed.
Darryl contacts his auto insurance coverage supplier to put a declare for each autos. We’ll think about it’s a significant insurance coverage firm, Farmers Insurance coverage.
Farmers Insurance coverage is conscious of the hurricane, they’ve been taking claims calls all day. They ask Darryl for some info, corresponding to:
- The coverage numbers
- Automobile Identification Numbers (VINs) for each autos
- Cellular phone images and descriptions of the harm
Inside just a few days, a claims adjuster visits Darryl to entry the harm. The adjuster decides that each autos have to be “totaled.” In different phrases, it will value extra to repair the autos than what they’re price. Each autos are towed away to a junk yard.
The insurance coverage claims adjuster will now write just a few checks. First, he writes a verify for the previous Accord, for $2,000. (That’s the worth of the car much less the $1,000 deductible.)
Then, Farmers Insurance coverage pays off the $20,000 steadiness on the minivan and cuts one other verify for Darryl of $9,000. (That’s what’s because of Darryl, after his $1,000 deductible is paid.)
Because of his insurance coverage insurance policies, Darryl now has $11,000 to spend as he sees match. He can put that cash down on a brand new car, purchase some used vehicles, or lease a car.
Subsequent, let’s take into consideration Darryl’s neighbor, Stacey.
Stacey Has a Legal responsibility-Solely Coverage
Stacey is nineteen, and lives together with her mother and father, subsequent door to Darryl. Her 1997 Toyota Corolla is parked within the driveway when the hurricane strikes. The Toyota is valued at about $900, and since this car isn’t price a lot, Stacey has legal responsibility protection solely.
When the flood strikes, her automotive can also be ruined. However Stacey can’t get any funds from her insurance coverage firm, as a result of she didn’t have full protection. Stacey might want to pay a tow firm to return retrieve the automotive and take it to a junkyard.
Nonetheless, Stacey has saved cash with a PLPD coverage. Full protection would have value her greater than the automotive was price yearly, and the payout (much less a deductible) for her totaled car wouldn’t be price a lot in any respect.
Now, let’s think about one other state of affairs down the highway, when a legal responsibility coverage may pay for water harm.
Saul Has an Accident on I-95
One other neighbor, Saul, is driving residence from work when the hurricane hits Miami. He drives an costly Lexus price $100,000. He owns this automotive outright and maintains full protection insurance coverage on it, with a $1,000 deductible.
Saul cautiously pulls over on Interstate 95 to attend out the storm. However one other driver on I-95 is driving too quick for the circumstances, loses management and strikes the Lexus, which flips into the ditch. The ditch is shortly filling with water, however fortunately, Saul is unhurt and in a position to exit the automotive shortly.
This water harm declare shall be extra difficult. Saul’s insurance coverage firm will seemingly complete out the Lexus after which sue the opposite driver’s insurance coverage in a course of known as subrogation. Saul walks away with a verify for $99,000.
Now that we’ve coated some attainable conditions the place automotive insurance coverage covers flood or water harm, let’s reply the most typical questions we get requested about insurance coverage and water harm.
Is There a Particular Flood Coverage for Autos?
No. As of 2023, there isn’t any particular flood insurance coverage coverage for autos in any US state. You probably have complete insurance coverage, generally known as a “new automotive” bundle, or a “full protection coverage,” water harm is roofed. This does embody water harm from rain, hurricanes, tropical storms and so forth.
The great portion of your auto coverage may also cowl issues like fallen tree limbs, flying trash cans, or different wind-driven particles.
You probably have a legal responsibility coverage, nevertheless, your insurance coverage won’t cowl flood, rain, or touring trash cans.
Does Automobile Insurance coverage Cowl Minor Water Harm?
It’d, however chances are you’ll be sensible to keep away from making a declare.
Let’s think about one other widespread, however difficult, scenario. You personal a 2020 Mazda 3. You’re nonetheless making funds on this car, and your financial institution requires you to maintain full protection auto insurance coverage with a $1,000 deductible.
You’re flying out of city for a enterprise assembly, and also you park your Mazda within the airport car parking zone for 3 days. However you neglect to roll the home windows up, and a thunderstorm rolls into city.
If you get again out of your journey, you uncover your seats are soaking moist. There’s additionally a robust musty, mildew odor in your Mazda. All of the expertise appears to work, and also you drive your automotive residence.
Your full protection coverage ought to cowl this water harm. Nonetheless, skilled cleansing and restoration of your automotive will seemingly value lower than your deductible.
On this case, it makes extra sense to pay for skilled restoration out of pocket and depart the insurer out of it. In any other case, you’ll create a claims historical past along with your insurer, and it solely takes just a few claims for an insurer to lift your charges. In spite of everything, you’ll find yourself paying for the cleansing service both means, as a result of your deductible is $1,000.
Even when the restoration value is a little more than your deductible, say $1,200, it’d make sense to pay for these repairs by yourself. That is very true if you have already got claims or accidents in your document.
Your finest plan of action is to get a quote for water harm restoration first after which determine from there if it’s price contacting your insurer.
Does Automobile Insurance coverage Cowl Water Harm Attributable to Driving By way of Water?
There isn’t a straightforward reply to this query. Your auto insurance coverage firm expects you to behave as an inexpensive driver. In different phrases, if a hurricane is coming your means, it’s best to keep away from driving. And in case your space has endured main, unprecedented flooding, it’s sensible to keep away from flooded streets.
Flood harm will wreak havoc in your car.
In 2023, California endured uncommon atmospheric rivers, unprecedented precipitation and unimaginable flooding, which got here after 10 years of drought. Many CA drivers had little expertise driving in these circumstances, and plenty of made poor selections about driving by working water or flooded streets.
Costly auto accidents occurred, folks suffered private accidents and bodily hurt, and auto insurance coverage suppliers are left paying the payments.
Then, different drivers made the reckless option to exit and discover flooded areas and abuse their autos on function.
So, will your auto insurance coverage coverage pay for water harm to your car in case you are driving irresponsibly by flooded streets? That depends upon your coverage, your state and native legal guidelines, your claims historical past and your insurance coverage firm. Our recommendation? Don’t threat it!
Do You Want Auto Insurance coverage? We Can Assist
At Einsurance.com, our mission is to match shoppers with the insurance coverage insurance policies they want. Should you want auto insurance coverage, whether or not it’s a liability-only coverage, a quote for insurance on a new car, or conventional full protection, we may also help.
Collect the next paperwork and discover our web site for quick quotes on inexpensive insurance coverage.
- VIN info
- Driver’s license quantity
- Garaging handle
- Common annual mileage and odometer readings
- Authorized names and birthdates of any drivers in your family
And keep in mind, in case you’re frightened about flood harm, water harm or comparable perils, you should definitely point out it when getting your quotes.
And when you’re at it, you should definitely take into consideration saving cash on property insurance coverage, renters insurance coverage, time period life insurance coverage insurance policies and extra. We’ve all of it, and we’re right here for you.
